By Luminous Jannamike, Abuja

The leadership of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, on Friday, announced the dissolution of its Rivers State chapter with immediate effect ahead of the March 18 governorship and state assembly elections.

A statement signed by the National Secretary of the Council, Yusuf Dantalle, said that the state chapter of the IPAC was axed for gross misconduct including the violation of the provisions of its 2021 Revised Code of Conduct.

The dissolution is coming in the wake of reports that the state chapter of the Council has endorsed the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Siminialaye Fubara.

But rising from an emergency General Assembly meeting of IPAC held at the Council’s Secretariat in Abuja, Dantalle stated that the move to dissolve the chapter was in the interest of neutrality, fairness and impartiality to all the political parties under its umbrella. 

He further stated that all political parties whose party officials in Rivers State have been found culpable should take disciplinary actions in accordance with their respective party constitutions.

“The Inter-Party Advisory Council is not a political party but a platform for all political parties saddled with the mandate of promoting and defending the interests of all registered political parties in Nigeria, hence should be neutral, fair and impartial. 

“The Council condemns and dissociates itself from the irresponsible act of the Rivers State IPAC executives in endorsing the Rivers State PDP governorship candidate, Sir Siminialaye Fubara.

“Let it also be unequivocally stated that those behind this scripted spectacle are as irresponsible as those who have been used as political pawns.

“All political parties whose party officials in Rivers State have been found culpable are enjoined to take disciplinary actions in accordance with their respective party constitutions.

“Conclusively, we call on the good people of Rivers State to disregard these political renegades and vote for candidates of their choice.”